Wondering What Most Use the Internet for? Well, It’s Not That Exciting — Survey of the Day

Why did the average American go online? For no particular reason (Ba-dum-bum).

Although this may not become the newest joke anytime soon, it’s actually a true statement. According to a new report from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, 53 percent of 18- to 29-year-old Americans go online just for fun or to waste time. With 2,260 participating adults, it turns out that 58 percent of all adults go online for the same reason.

Lead author Lee Rainie told Mashable, “These findings are one of our main signs about how deeply Internet use has woven itself into the rhythms of people’s lives… It’s not necessarily surprising to see that this is a favorite pastime of young adults. It is a bit surprising to see that the incidence of this use has grown in every age demographic. The Internet is not just the playground of the young.”